Since roundabout, more crashes at North Main and Auburn

Monday

Feb 10, 2014 at 12:01 AMFeb 10, 2014 at 4:04 PM

By Jeff KolkeyRockford Register Star

ROCKFORD - Failure to properly yield at the new North Main and Auburn roundabout is to blame for an increased number of crashes recorded at the intersection in its first three months of operation, Public Works Director Tim Hanson said.

The roundabout has eliminated traffic tie-ups and keeps thousands of vehicles a day moving through it without delays. But there has been a learning curve with drivers figuring out how to use it and with an elevated number of mostly minor crashes.

"You have people coming too fast and don't want to yield or slow down," Hanson said. "If you pull up, yield and look to the left and see that it's clear and move through the roundabout, you will never have an issue ... The people who cause accidents do not want to yield and do not want to look left."

There were 14 intersection-related crashes or crashes within 50 feet of the intersection in 2011 and 11 such crashes in 2012, according to information obtained by the Register Star from the Rockford Police Department under a Freedom of Information Act request. Just one of those crashes in two years resulted in an injury.

Construction of the roughly $10 million roundabout began in April 2013. It fully opened to traffic Oct. 27. There were 19 crashes from Nov. 1 through January. All but one of the crashes was minor.

Hanson said that stoplights that previously were installed at the intersection had been timed to only allow one direction of travel to move at a time, causing significant traffic delays. Since the roundabout opened, it has eliminated those delays, but there have been more minor crashes.

Watching traffic and drivers who appear scared of the roundabout attempt to navigate it can be entertaining, in a head-slapping sort of way.

Although traffic generally flows through the intersection much better than when there was a stoplight, any crash brings the roundabout to a standstill, said Teri Limberg, who works at the nearby Rockford Billiards Cafe.

"I've watched little old people go the wrong way. You commonly see people who stop right between the outlets for no reason. You keep going, you don't stop, and we have seen numerous traffic accidents," Limberg said.

Although crashes have been the result of improper lane use, the majority occurred when a driver failed to yield before entering the roundabout, Rockford Police Department Lt. Patrick Hoey said.

Hoey agreed that some drivers are still learning to properly navigate the roundabout.